Expert: Glen Demers - 7/18/2011

Question
QUESTION: Glen,

I know that you are listed as a photoshop expert and my question is on illustrator but the illustrator expert is away on holidays and the two programs are similiar.

I am using illustrator 10, iMac 2ghz intl core duo. OS 10.4.11.  I was designing some wine labels and a problem popped up that I can't figure out.  When I  create a simple rectangle I should be able to resize it by holding down the shift key and clicking on a corner and resize the rectangle.  When I try it now the rectangle moves and a 45 degree line apprears across the screen like it is a guideline and as I move the rectangle this guideline changes to vertical or horizontal.  If I put the curser to the line it changes from an arrow to a smaller arrow and there is a tiny x next to it.  When I put the curser to a corner the arrow is smaller and there is a small box next to it.  I must have reset something but I don't know what it was.  Hope you can help.  Thanks, Ron

ANSWER: Hi Ron,

If you turn off Smart Guides under the View menu that should eliminate the diagonal lines. There is also a preferences panel for adjusting the smart guides.

With the Selection Tool (Black Cursor) once you select your object the familiar double headed arrow should appear when you hover over any of the corner points. You can then shift and drag to resize.

Hope this helps,
Glen Demers
Adobe Certified Expert, Photoshop 7
Prepress Technician, Best Printing Online
www.bestprintingonline.com

For more Photoshop tips please visit our help pages here: http://www.bestprintingonline.com/photoshop.htm

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks Glen,

turned off smart guides and the lines went away but I still cannot resize.  Went to the preference panel and unclicked all boxes and still cannot resize. Ron

Answer
Hi Ron,

Some complex or grouped objects in Illustrator have to be resized using the Scale tool (s).
An alternative would be to go to Object>Transform>Scale and numerically resize them.

Hope this helps,
Glen Demers
Adobe Certified Expert, Photoshop 7
Prepress Technician, Best Printing Online
www.bestprintingonline.com

For more Photoshop tips please visit our help pages here: http://www.bestprintingonline.com/photoshop.htm